31 replies to this topic

[jimglim1234]

Do harvester ants only eat seeds or can they eat insects? And also what is a good species that eat insects? I've always wanted Stigmatomma

[Cali_Ant]

Harvester ants diet is mostly seeds and can even live off just with a seed diet. However protein sources (insects) provide the growing larvae and the queen with nutritious meat which can greatly benefit the colony in the long run. Insects like small crickets, cut up mealworms, cut up roaches, and fruit flys can become a great source of protein for harvesters. Make sure to give your ants a variety of protein sources, not just the same thing everytime.


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[Cali_Ant]

Pogonomyrmex and/or Veromessor are great species of harvester ants to begin with.


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[jimglim1234]

Lol I see the Tar heel sells them but I heard that people try to get the California species? Idk why if someone could explain the difference? Is one species larger?

[jimglim1234]

and also it costs an arm and a leg on that site plus with the formicarium its pretty crazy, but was thinking about the xl mini hearth I just don't know if i can connect other formicariums through tubing?

[CheetoLord02]

Generally for any species of true harvester, I recommend a diet of 65-85% seeds/grains, with the rest being insect protein.

[Ants_Dakota]

as long as tha uses standard tubbing, you can connect the nests to, for example, ac nests. If not, you will need to get creative with silicone and tape.

Edited by Ants_Dakota, September 3 2020 - 5:10 AM.

[jimglim1234]

Thank you so much for the information and can one big enough mini hearth enough to have a harvester colony?

[Spazmops]

Thank you so much for the information and can one big enough mini hearth enough to have a harvester colony?

Mini hearths are good for Pogonomyrmex, as they love high humidity. You'll want to sand down the inside of the tube connecting the nest to the outworld, or remove it entirely. Pogonomyrmex (at least occidentalis) are terrible climbers.

[Kaelwizard]

Thank you so much for the information and can one big enough mini hearth enough to have a harvester colony?

Mini hearths are good for Pogonomyrmex, as they love high humidity. You'll want to sand down the inside of the tube connecting the nest to the outworld, or remove it entirely. Pogonomyrmex (at least occidentalis) are terrible climbers.

Mine could climb the tubing fine. Just don’t bump the nest while they are doing it.

[Spazmops]

 

 

Thank you so much for the information and can one big enough mini hearth enough to have a harvester colony?

Mini hearths are good for Pogonomyrmex, as they love high humidity. You'll want to sand down the inside of the tube connecting the nest to the outworld, or remove it entirely. Pogonomyrmex (at least occidentalis) are terrible climbers.

Mine could climb the tubing fine. Just don’t bump the nest while they are doing it.

 

They can work their way up the tubing, but they'd just plummet to the ground when exiting the outworld. I sanded the tube and that fixed it.

[KitsAntVa]

Getting a harvester ant colony is great in the long run if they survive they are amazing to watch they grow surprisingly fast if you give them a lot of seeds and are great because they can’t climb glass, but the cost is a lot and the ones tarheelants sell are the only queens your able to ship throughout America.

[AleeGuy]

Thank you so much for the information and can one big enough mini hearth enough to have a harvester colony?

Mini hearths are good for Pogonomyrmex, as they love high humidity. You'll want to sand down the inside of the tube connecting the nest to the outworld, or remove it entirely. Pogonomyrmex (at least occidentalis) are terrible climbers.

Or you can just order horizontal mini hearth

[jimglim1234]

Are horizontal ones good for stigmatommas because I heard they can't really do the vertical formicarium? If it gives good humidity is it enough for a colony of stigmatomma?

[DDD101DDD]

Are horizontal ones good for stigmatommas because I heard they can't really do the vertical formicarium? If it gives good humidity is it enough for a colony of stigmatomma?

Stigmatomma need substrate. I've heard that petri dish style nests are best for them.

 

 

Thank you so much for the information and can one big enough mini hearth enough to have a harvester colony?

Also if what you meant by this was "is it big enough for them forever", then the answer would be no. Pogonomyrmex colonies can get really big.

[jimglim1234]

How long would a xl mini hearth last a colony before moving? I was planning maybe purchasing the nucleus type 3 from tarheel

[AleeGuy]

About 50 workers for harvester ants

Edited by AleeGuy, September 3 2020 - 1:25 PM.

[jimglim1234]

Lol dang that's why I'm kinda leaning toward stigmatomma because I heard they are small colony, and if pogonomyrmex produces fast idk if i could support a huge colony

[AleeGuy]

I mean you can do more if you're fine with overcrowdness

Edit: you can do nests by your own from: ytong, hydrostone gypsum, plaster of paris, acrylic, concrete, etc.

Edited by AleeGuy, September 3 2020 - 1:40 PM.

[jimglim1234]

Yeah I'm fairly okay with it I just don't want to constantly switch tank to tank, the nucleus type 3 looks pretty big